CONFUSED swans have been crashlanding on Flintshire’s iced-over roads, thinking they were rivers.

Elfyn Pierce-Jones, who runs Flintshire Wildlife and Pet Rescue in Holywell with his wife Joy, said the winter weather had caused a number of problems for wildlife.

He said: “We’ve had quite a few calls about swans landing on the A548 coast road. We think the ice makes it look like a river to them.

“In the space of two weeks I think we had six calls from the public and three from the police about swans on the road. One evening we were called to the road outside Abakhan in Mostyn and there were two police cars either side of a swan trying to keep it safe.

“Luckily none of the swans have been injured.”

The centre has also taken in three baby hedgehogs who are too small to go into hibernation.

Elfyn said: “Because it’s so cold the hedgehogs might go into hibernation, but if they are under 750 grams in weight and they hibernate they might not wake up.

“We’ll keep them at the rescue until either the weather gets better or they put on enough weight.”

Elfyn urged people to do their bit for wildlife during the cold weather.

“The weather has been having a big effect on animals, particularly garden birds and ducks,” he said.

“We would encourage people to feed the birds and also provide them with fresh water.

“Water needs to be put out every day for them because it freezes over.

“There is meant to be more cold weather on the way and it is hard for animals to cope.”